Top 10: Most Expensive Divorce Settlements

Number 4

Neil Diamond & Marcia Murphey — $150 million

A crooner beloved the world over, Neil Diamond has known success since the '60s with his own brand of easy listening classics. Throughout the '70s, he set new world records in record sales and concert attendance. During his career, which has spanned four decades, Diamond has sold more than 100 million records worldwide. When he met the woman who would share his life for 25 years, he was already married to wife number one.

Apparently, Diamond went out for cigarettes in November 1969 and never came back. Three weeks later, he had divorced and married TV producer Marcia Murphey. Following rumors of extramarital activities on Diamond's part in 1994, she moved to Splitsville, citing the popular "irreconcilable differences." The divorce was settled for $150 million, half his fortune. The singer claims he cheerfully gave her the money (she's "worth every penny") and that she deserved it for having bore him wonderful children.

Number 3

Craig & Wendy McCaw — (more than) $460 million

Craig McCaw got steady on his feet by turning a failing television cable service he had inherited from his father into a successful business, eventually selling for $755 million. In 1981, he proved to be a visionary by acquiring cellular phone licenses. He eventually sold his company to AT&T for approximately $12 billion, becoming the telecommunications giant's largest single shareholder.

McCaw met Wendy when she tutored him at Stanford University and they married in 1974. In 1995, divorce proceedings were initiated and Wendy wanted her share to support her nearly $200,000/month lifestyle. She ultimately walked away with $460 million, mostly all in Nextel stock.

Number 2

Adnan & Soraya Khashoggi — $874 million

Adnan Khashoggi is a Saudi businessman who made his money as an international arms dealer for the Saudi royal family. He then launched his company Triad, based in Switzerland, owning banks, hotels and real estate all over the world.

In 1986, his fortune was estimated at $4 billion but a decade later it was estimated that he had lost most of it due to dwindling oil prices. He married Soraya in 1961 and their jet-setting lifestyle favored a string of adulterous lovers for both of them. Their 1982 divorce netted her an estimated $874 million in an out-of-court settlement, although numbers vary according to sources.

Number 1

Rupert & Anna Murdoch — $1.7 billion

One of the richest men in the world, Rupert Murdoch developed his worldwide media empire when he inherited his father's Australian newspaper in 1952. He married Anna Murdoch in the '60s and they remained together for 32 years, springing off three children.

They split amicably in 1998 but soon Rupert forced Anna off the board of News Corp and the gloves came off. The divorce was finalized in June 1999 when Rupert agreed to let his ex-wife leave with $1.7 billion worth of his assets, $110 million of it in cash. Seventeen days later, Rupert married Wendi Deng, one of his employees.

don't get taken to the cleaners

Having written such an article, I expect the American Bar Association to send me a very generous check. After all, didn't I just pen the greatest advertising for prenuptial agreements? With this kind of money up for grabs, romance must be sidestepped for a moment and all men should definitely equip themselves with an ironclad prenup.